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Maja Siska

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Contact the owner directly to confirm reservation details and pay with an approved method (credit card, check, or bank transfer), to protect your payment up to $1,000.

Ideal for day trips to sights in South, near horse riding, nature all around. - Sel, open views into the Icelandic countryside, Eyjafjallajökull

Overview

South Iceland House Rental Photos and Description

Cozy country cottage, surrounded by nature, charming and peaceful cottage

These 2 charming separate summer cottages - Sel and Ásta´s - are situated surrounded by nature, each in a private location on its own lot, near Lake Gislholt and about 4 km from our farm Skinnhufa. They are furnished with attention to detail and offer you a typical and homely Icelandic summer house atmosphere.

SEL has beautiful open views into the surrounding pastures, mountains and the lake! ÁSTA´S HIDE AWAY is grown in by trees and bushes, with a private deck and hot pot.

IDEAL LOCATION for daytrips to all the sights in the South of Iceland! Detailed information and descriptions are in the cottages for you. We gladly assist you with any queries you have!

Some of the day trips: Golden Circle, Geysir, Gullfoss and Thingvellir; Skogar waterfall and museum, bird cliffs near Vik (black beach) and Dyrholaey. Or take the ferry to the Westman Islands! Blue Lagoon and scenic drive along coast road; Reykjavik in 80km. In summer you can take the highland bus or Hekla taxi to Landmannalaugar and its hot springs in the highlands, or drive to the bottom of Hekla and hike to the top!

The nearest SWIMMING POOL is 7km away. Insider tip: a very rustic old geothermal pool in the middle of nowhere: Seljavallalaug gamla, info in the cottages!

A very good RIDING STABLE is nearby (7 km), catering for beginners and experienced riders alike, see here for more information: www.herridarholl.is

Bird watching: From May until the end of July you can watch up to 25 bird species. An owl lives nearby and you can sometimes hear the loons on the lake.

Sel is small but very cozy and extremely functional: you walk into the living area with a dining table and a kitchenette. There is a double bedroom (2 x 80cm beds) and a shower room/WC. Climbing up a ladder you reach the sleeping loft with 2 very comfortable mattresses (memory foam, 2 x 90cm). There is everything you need for cooking in the kitchenette. Through the windows you look into the green surroundings and onto hills and the Gislholt mountain. The lake view is slowly closing with all the trees and bushes, but in summer and fall you can hear the loon. An owl lives nearby. You can sit on the deck in front of the cottage and enjoy the view. There is an information folder in the house for you, free WiFi.

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About Maja Siska

Originally german, I have lived here in Iceland since 2000 with my Icelandic husband, icelandic dog, chickens, sheep and horses! We love our home and we enjoy sharing our knowledge and experiences of Iceland and our area with you. Originally I came here because of horse riding and today I feel at least as icelandic as anything else! I am looking forward to welcoming you in the country I chose to be my home! We have 2 more cottages for rent under nr. 535515.

Maja Siska purchased this house in 2013

Why Maja Siska chose South Iceland

These very cosy summer cottages are a beautiful country hide away with Icelandic flair! Also a great location in the South of Iceland; within easy reach of great day trips and excursions, in summer even into the highlands. And very practical: 80km from Reykjavik and with the little traffic it is always an experience to drive over the scenic pass Hellisheidi to go to town:)

The cottages are about 4 km from our farm and we gladly assist you during your stay if you wish.

Reviews

5

based on 21 traveler reviews

Absolutely Adorable

5
of 5

Sel is an adorable cottage in which you instantly feel at home. It is the perfect place to stay for either bunkering down in the wilderness or using it as a base for day trips to the many must see locations along the south coast. The cottage is very clean, stocked with everything you need and is very easy to reach. Given the time of our stay (mid February) we rented a 4WD and had no troubles navigating the roads.

Maja was extremely friendly and helpful. She provided comprehensive directions and details on all of the attractions in the area.

We still miss Sel!

5
of 5

5 Stars isn't enough! We stayed in Sel for 4 nights and loved every minute. Not only is the location perfect and beautiful, the hut itself is cosy and equipped with everything you would need! The mattresses are the best we've ever slept on...

Maja came to welcome us and make sure we settled in nicely. She even went out of her way to assist us when we had a camera malfunction offering to lend us a new memory card!! If you are looking for somewhere authentic, rural and near to the natural highlights of Iceland, then this is the place. We would definitely stay again.

Note: The gravel road to Sel is a little bit daunting at first, but we managed it nicely in a wreck of a rental car!

Spectacular house in a fantastic location!!!

5
of 5

We loved this place from the moment we walked in! The interrior is just beatiful and we felt at home right away. Everything you need is here, the living area is very cozy and we even lit a fire in the fire place. The deck around the house is great on a sunny day and a soak in the hot pot a treat after a day of sight seeing. The location is quiet and private but strategically excellent for day trips. The owner provides a folder of very useful information about day trips. We would love to go back one day!!! This home away from home made our stay a complete success!!!!

Submitted: Jun 23, 2014

Stayed: May 2014

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you so much and I hope to see you again some day!

Lovely relaxing stay!

We stayed in the Sel cottage for two of our three nights in Iceland and loved it!

Maja was extremely helpful from the beginning - providing detailed directions and a helpful list of grocery/food translations.

When we arrived, the cottage was organized, clean and welcoming. She personally welcomed us shortly after we arrived. Be sure you have a car that can handle gravel roads though, as there are a few miles of them to get to the cottage!

Maja left a detailed binder of suggested day trips and directions as well as a map, which came in handy when our GPS didn't want to work. Would absolutely stay here again!

Submitted: May 8, 2014

Stayed: Apr 2014

Source: VRBO, from HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you so much for staying with us! Maybe see you again sometime:)

Definitely recommended!

5
of 5

A great little place in an excellent location for exploring the whole of SW Iceland. Three of us stayed in the cottage and it was plenty spacious for us with a well-equipped kitchen, which allowed us to eat more cheaply than Iceland's reputation would have you believe. As all the other reviews state, Maja was lovely and friendly; arriving in the evening to the toasty living room she had prepared was wonderful. There was lots of useful information in the folders she left and she even drove to the post office to collect and personally deliver our rucksack that the airline had misplaced!! Thanks for going the extra mile Maja!

Submitted: Apr 22, 2014

Stayed: Apr 2014

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you so much for staying in Sel:) I am glad I could help... and glad that you at least saw a glimpse of the Northern Lights! A big hello to you and see you again some day! :)

Stylish mix of modern and rustic

4
of 5

This is a beautiful cabin with lovely decor and a great feel to it. We squeezed 5 of us into the cabin although that was a bit of a stretch. Ideal for couples or small families. We got excellent service and really appreciated the binder and the local information that was provided.

The cabin is well located for the Golden Triangle, although it is a little ways off the beaten track (about 10 to 15 minutes from the main road) which is the only reason I don't give it a 5-star rating. That said, we had one of the best experiences of our trip to Iceland on the gravel track to the cabin when our car was surrounded by 12 beautiful Icelandic ponies. One even stuck his head in through the window and chewed on the steering wheel! The kids will never forget that.

Submitted: Aug 28, 2013

Stayed: Jul 2013

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: I am glad you had an unforgettable experience here in the South of Iceland! Yes, the cabin is a little off the main nr. 1 road but it rewards you with a peaceful setting and views into the open landscape. There are loons nesting every summer on the nearby lake and even if you aren´t lucky enough to see them you might hear them in the evenings! The location is "central" to the sights in the South: the black beach and bird cliffs of Vik within easy reach, the Westman Islands, the highlands and Landmannalaugar in summertime... and much more, all detailed in the information folder! Thank you so much for staying with us!!!

The cottages are located near a lake on lots with many busches and trees, sheltered and private, 14km from the main ring road nr.1. In 7 km you can reach the next swimming pool and also a very good riding stable (www.herridarholl.is). This is an ideal starting point for all sightseeing in the south of Iceland. Information on trips are in the house, an available via email:

1. Golden Circle: Geysir, Gullfoss,Thingvellir,

2. Blue Lagoon & coastal road,

3. Skogar waterfall & farm museum, Vik & black beach, bird cliffs,

4. Hekla museum, Thjofafoss waterfall, along the foot of the highlands to the replica of one of the first settlements on Iceland, archeological site Stöng.

5. There is a new ferry harbour (65km away) and you can be in the WESTMAN ISLANDS within 30 min ferry ride. Detailed information in the house!

6. A long day but a vey scenic drive along the south coast: to Jökulsarlon, where large glacial ice floats in the lagoon , drifting out to sea.

In Summer you can take a day trip with the highland bus to the hot springs at Landmannalaugar (dep. Hella) or to Thorsmörk.

Eyjafjallajökull & Tindfjallajökull-glacier can be seen on a clear day! Northern Lights approx. Sep. - Apr

Golf: There is a 18 hole link course near Hella and a 9 hole golf course in Selfoss. Both approx. 30 min. drive from the house.

Shower room. Towels included, (also bed linen and tea towels).
There are public pools in all neighbouring villages, the nearest is in Laugarland (7km) with hot pot and steam room. Opening hours in the house.

Downstairs is a separate small bedroom with 2 single beds (80cm). The cosy sleeping loft is reached climbing up a ladder: here are 2 very comfortable mattresses (memory foam, 90cm). Especially kids love to sleep up here!

Entertainment:

Books ...

Outside:

Balcony ...

Lawn / Garden ...

Suitability:

children welcome ...

non smoking only

wheelchair inaccessible

Attractions:

museums

restaurants

volcano

waterfalls

Leisure Activities:

bird watching

horseback riding

scenic drives

sight seeing

walking

whale watching

Local Services & Businesses:

groceries

Sports & Adventure Activities:

equestrian events

fishing

fly fishing

freshwater fishing

golf

hiking

swimming

Notes:

The kitchen is compact but well equipped, just like the bathroom with shower cabin. Garden furniture is on the balcony. Drinking water directly from the tap, it doesn´t get better than this! Children love sleeping upstairs in the loft. They have to be old enough to climb up the ladder savely. Maps of the region and tips and info on things to do and day trips are in the house! Radio, playing cards, candles.
Self catering but some essential herbs and spices are in the house.
Migrating birds nesting everywhere during summer: BIRDWATCHING!
During winter you need just a little luck and you could see NORTHERN LIGHTS. Ideal spot as there is no ambient lighting in the area.
We gladly give you any advise or assistance while you are staying here!
INTERNET: you can f.ex. by a mobile chip from NOVA in Selfoss, for 2000ISK you get 1 GB download.